Monday, September 16, 2019

Guest Blog + Giveaway: Nemesis by Genevieve Iseult Eldredge (@GirlyEngine, @XpressoTours)

UFI welcomes Author Genevieve Iseult Eldredge . Thanks for Joining us!!

TEENAGE GARAGE SALE

What kind of things would we find if you were to have a garage sale of items from your teenage years?

Various shark stuffed animals: $1.00 each
Town pool pass: $0.25
Lilith Fair T-shirt: FREE
Collection of Pearl Jam T-shirts: best offer
Hand-me-down D&D books (mint condition): priceless
Old Doc Martens: not for sale
Tamagotchi: FREE to good home
Skateboard: $3.25
Siouxsie & the Banshees CD collection: $50
A million Lisa Frank notebooks: $1.00 each
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Raised by witches and dragons in the northern wilds, GIE writes angsty urban fantasy YA romance–where girls who are mortal enemies kick butt, take names, and fall in love against all odds.

She enjoys long hikes in the woods (where better to find the fair folk?), believing in fairies (in fact, she’s clapping right now), dancing with dark elves (always wear your best shoes), being a self-rescuing princess (hello, black belt!), and writing diverse books about teenage girls finding love, romance, and their own inner power.

She might be planning high tea at the Fae Court right now.

GIE is multi-published, and in her role as an editor has helped hundreds of authors make their dream of being published a reality.


Find Genevieve and her books
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Nemesis
Circuit Fae #4
What would you do if your beloved girlfriend suddenly became your worst enemy? That dilemma’s all too real for Syl Skye.
As the last princess of the fair Fae, Syl is all things brightness and sun and white flame, but even though she’s Summer incarnate, she’s drawn to Rouen Rivoche, the dark Fae princess-assassin of the Winter Court.

They should be mortal enemies, but they’re best friends. Girlfriends. In love.

That is, until an old enemy puts Roue under a dark spell that makes her forget all about Syl, their lives and their love. Now Roue rules Dark Faerie as a cruel and cold Queen, and she wants nothing more than to destroy Syl and her fair Fae people.

Worse, both opposing Faerie realms stand on the brink of utter destruction, and only their queens, Syl and Rouen, can save them—and only if they can put their differences aside for two seconds and fight together as allies.

But how can you fight against an enemy when your true nemesis is on your team?


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Sunday, September 15, 2019

Week in Review: 9/8-9/14



Books Received for Review

Survivor by Debbie Cassidy

Books I've Read

The Hidden by Ivy Asher
Kissed by Wildfire by Cate Corvin
Kissed by Moonlight by Cate Corvin
Kissed by Midnight by Cate Corvin

Reviews Posted

Mirror Bound by Monica Sanz (@MonicaBSanz, @EntangledTeen)

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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Monday- Guest Blog + Giveaway: Realm of Knights by Jennifer Anne Davis (@AuthorJennifer, @XpressoTours)

* Wednesday- Interview + Giveaway: Helix by Mary Ting (@MaryTing, @XpressoTours)

* Friday- Promo + Giveaway: Shadow Caster by Debbie Cassidy (@authordcassidy, @XpressoTours)

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* Did you know you can follow UFI on these other sites?


You can also add me (as in Stacy) to your friends on these sites if you're on them.
 

 * I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Promo + Giveaway: Shadow Caster by Debbie Cassidy (@authordcassidy, @XpressoTours)



Shadow Caster
The Nightwatch Academy #1
    Murdering humans is a huge no-no and comes with an off-with-your-head sentence. Doesn’t matter if you don’t remember doing the crime.

    I killed a human, and no, it wasn’t on purpose, but that shit doesn’t matter to the council. I’m facing death. So, when I’m offered a deal to avoid execution, I’d be a fool not to take it, even if it means leaving the human world and urban life behind to enroll in the Nightwatch Academy – a gothic monstrosity hidden from human eyes, located way too close to the largest tear in the fabric of our reality.

    It would be fun if I had any inclination of becoming a member of the Watch or supporting the shadow knights at keeping the Formorian threat at bay. But heck, the monsters beyond the mist aren’t my problem. I have personal demons to deal with.

    Once I’m out, the Watch can shove it.

    But one sip from the ceremonial goblet and my plans to coast are out of the window as my powers spark to life.

    I’m an anomaly, one the Watch won’t be letting walk any time soon.

    My only comfort is a man who prides himself on his ability to harness pain. Battle scarred and formidable, he’s my tutor, my mentor, and the object of some super saucy dreams. He’s completely off limits and my only hope of surviving my first test.

    I’ll need to harness my powers fast.

    There can be no distractions.


    But when my fellow cadets start going missing then returning with no memory of who they used to be and my best friend is taken, turning a blind eye is no longer an option.

    Allies are limited when you’re a freak. Luckily, I don’t need a cheer squad to get shit done. Whoever is responsible better watch out. I’m coming for them, and I’ll be bringing the pain.

    The Vampire Academy meets Game of Thrones in this kick-ass, supernatural academy, Urban Fantasy Romance.
Excerpt: 

“Wake up, Indie.”
A hand landed on my shoulder and had the audacity to give it a shake.
Fuck off was the desired response, but the word that came out was harrumph.
“Indie, come on. You promised you wouldn’t miss today.”
Today? Oh, yeah, the team exercise, as in there is no I in team, as in I didn’t give a shit. But the exam was the last lesson of the evening, and my bio clock told me the sun had only just set.
Still, Minnie’s shadow loomed over me, and the heat of her gorgon glare burned holes in the back of my head.
“The whole day, Indie. You promised to do a whole day.” She reminded me with that stern edge to her tone, which told me that ten-inch-thick steel would break before she would.
Me and my big mouth. Maybe if I faked sickness, she’d piss off and leave me be. Going to shitty classes was the last thing I wanted to do tonight.
I coughed and made a gagging sound.
“Nah-uh,” she said. “The whole frickin’ day and the exam. You skip the test, and we all get a fail. And you don’t want me to fail, do you?”
Urgh. Emotional blackmail, which coming from anyone else I’d be immune to. I rolled onto my back and stared at the pixie-cute woman looking down at me. Her crimson bob grazed her delicate jaw as she leaned over me, and her wide jade eyes were hard with determination.
Over the last two months, I’d learned three things about Minnie Faraday. First, that she wasn’t a stuck-up arsehole like the rest of the Faraday family. Second, she had a soft spot for kittens, and anything small and furry, and third—the most important—that she did not take no for an answer.
Trust me, I’d tried to keep her at a distance. I mean, sharing a room with her didn’t mean we had to be friends. I didn’t need or want any friends here. But Minnie had decided that’s exactly what we were going to be, and she’d pursued me unrelentingly until she’d worn me down.
So, here we were. Two friends in a glare off. One I knew I was about to lose, because yeah, I’d promised not to skip out on the simulation today. Team exercises were graded based on team performance, if one member was a no show, the whole team suffered.
I closed my eyes and blew out a breath. “Fine. Give me five minutes, and I’ll meet you in the lobby.
“Five.” She narrowed her eyes. “I’ll be back to get you if you don’t show.”
I flashed my teeth at her. “Have I ever let you down, pixie -boo?”
“Do not call me that.” She crossed her arms. “You know I hate it.” She sniffed.
“Riiight. So, you just wrote it in the back of your notebook and decorated it with tiny flowers for no reason then?”
She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times and then took a deep breath. “Five minutes.”
She grabbed her book bag and headed out of the room.
The door didn’t slam behind her.
Not too pissed off then.




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Debbie Cassidy lives in England, Bedfordshire, with her three kids and very supportive husband. Coffee and chocolate biscuits are her writing fuels of choice, and she is still working on getting that perfect tower of solitude built in her back garden. Obsessed with building new worlds and reading about them, she spends her spare time daydreaming and conversing with the characters in her head - in a totally non psychotic way of course. She writes Urban Fantasy, Fantasy and Reverse Harem Fantasy. All her books contain plenty of action, romance and twisty plots.

Find Debbie and her books
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Thursday, September 12, 2019

Review: Mirror Bound by Monica Sanz (@MonicaBSanz, @EntangledTeen)

Mirror Bound
Author: Monica Sanz
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Publisher: Entangled Teen
ISBN:  1640637214
ISBN13: 9781640637214
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Publisher

Conspirator. Failure. Murderer.

Seraphina Dovetail is used to being called all these things. As the seventh-born daughter to a witch, and the cause of her mother losing both her powers and her life, Sera has always felt isolated. Until Nikolai Barrington.

The young professor not only took an interest in Sera—he took her into his home, hired her for his moonlighting detective agency, and gave her the one thing she’d always dreamed of: a chance. Under Barrington’s tutelage, Sera can finally take the School of Continuing Magic entrance exam to become an inspector and find her family. Now if only she could stop her growing attraction to her maddening boss—which is about as easy as this fiery elementalist quitting setting things on fire.

But when ghosts start dragging Sera into possessions so deep she can barely escape, and then the souls of lost witches and wizards appear trapped in mirrors, these two opposites will have to work together to uncover a much deeper secret that could destroy the Witchling world…

All Seraphina wants is to be a inspector, but she has to be accepted to take the exam and people are working to keep that from happening. Thankfully she has allies that are on her side, but its still a journey. 

It's been a little over a year since I read SEVENTH BORN, and I was scared that I wouldn't remember the story well enough to really enjoy MIRROR BOUND. Thankfully it all came back to me as I started reading.

Sera is a fighter. I love the way she has grown from the beginning of book one and I look forward to seeing what she will do in future books.

Sera and Barrington's relationship grows and evolves throughout MIRROR BOUND. It's very slow burn, but enjoyable and real in the way it happens. They were a great team without being in a romantic relationship, but their chemistry shined through in almost every scene and I am glad that they found their way to each other.

I enjoyed the plot of MIRROR BOUND. There was plenty of danger and mystery involved. The world is well built and I have enjoyed the addition of new characters. I especially love Sera's hellhound.

Hopefully we won't have to wait another year to read book three, but if so, I will gladly do it.  

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Interview + Giveaway: Helix by Mary Ting (@MaryTing, @XpressoTours)

UFI welcomes Author Mary Ting. Thanks for Joining us!!

What can you tell my readers about yourself that they might not know from looking on your bio or reading in another interview?

I used to teach kindergarten for almost twenty years. I stopped when I decided to become a full-time writer. I wrote my first book Crossroads when my grandmother passed away to heal the loss of her. I based it on dreams I had in high school. I never wanted to be an author. It just happened.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?

I love to watch movies and TV series with my husband. If we’re not going out as a family then we sit and TV binge for several hours. I also love to travel. I’ve been on eight cruises.

What is your favorite part of writing?

My favorite part of writing is the escape, when I get to be any character. Male or female. I can be mean or nice. I can create any world I want.

Do you have any certain routines you must follow as you write? 

I get everything done first—make phone calls, run errands, feed the dog, send kids off to school, start dinner, and then I sit by the window with Mochi, my dog, next to me and I start typing. I can’t have distraction. I can get through a chapter faster that way

What are some of your Favorite books or Authors in the Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Genres?  

Alexandrea Weis (Blackwell, Death by the River, and Realm), Sarah J. Mass, and Jennifer Armentrout.

How would you pitch the ISAN series to someone who has not heard of it before?

ISAN series is dystopian/science fiction novel. What destroyed us (the meteors) also gave us the high-tech. It’s fast-paced story with lots of action and dash of romance. It’s about friendship, loss, family, learning and growing of oneself, and kick-butt girl assassins. With each book, the world expands, and the readers will learn what it means to be resilient with Ava, the protagonist.

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that the ISAN series is set in?

The series is set in the future. 
Meteors devastated the Earth. World Governments developed plans to help surviving citizens. The United States disbanded and salvageable land was divided into four quadrants—North, South, East, and West—governed by The Remnant Council.

Do you have a favorite scene in Helix, book 2?

There are too many. LOL.  But one that sticks out to me is the masquerade ball. Elegant gowns and tons of action.

What Other Projects can we look forward to reading from you?

Ronin Witch is coming out in the fall 2020 with Vesuvian Books, based on Japanese mythology. If you like fairytale retelling, Jaclyn and the Beanstalk is currently out. The story is set in the 16th century that weaves religion, magic, and monsters.
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International Bestselling, Award-Winning Author Mary Ting writes soulful, spellbinding stories that excite the imagination and captivate readers all over the world. Her books run a wide range of genres and her storytelling talents have won her a devoted legion of fans and garnered critical praise.

Becoming an author happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she had in high school. After realizing she wanted to become a full-time author, Mary retired from teaching after twenty years. She also had the privilege of touring with the Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children's chapter book: No Bullies Allowed.

Mary resides in Southern California with her husband, two children, and two little dogs, Mochi and Mocha. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry.

Find Mary and her books
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Helix
International Sensory Assassin Network #2
 Alliances are forming. The resistance is growing. Everything is about to change.

With her memory still fragmented, Ava returns to the International Sensory Assassin Network (ISAN) to find the twin sister she never knew she had.

But as Ava hunts for information, she finds herself tangled in a web of yet more lies and conspiracy. The Helix serum may not be required to access her superpowers, and the number of male assassins—previously considered too volatile to tolerate Helix—is growing in every territory.

The more Ava uncovers, the more of a threat she becomes to ISAN. Her only salvation may be to join the rebels—if she isn’t killed first.

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